CHANGE OF LIFE expectations! Four
by GStales
Summary: Fouth story in the Change of Life Series.
1. Chapter 1

**Expectations!**

**One**

Susan Bart Harris wore the cloak of her middle years with out charm; she looked at the world through hard and suspicious eyes. Her life had been marred by an early disappointment - the having and the  
losing of Matt Dillon. She had never been able to get past the loss.

It was twenty-two years earlier that she had first seen the handsome young lawman, that day had changed the course of her life. Her father Randolph Bart had owned the largest ranch in Ford County, it was his private empire and he had chosen to rule it like a king. He treated his daughter as if she was a princess and the pretty little girl grew into a spoiled young woman who had her every wish granted. She had no reason to doubt this would be the case when she set her eye on Matt Dillon. Susan was young and attractive and could offer a prospective husband a bright future. But Matt had been young as well with a youthful idealism that wouldn't allow him to consider his personal life over what he considered his noble higher calling – Duty to the Badge. He told Susan there was no room in his life for anything but the Badge.

Then Kitty Russell came to town and all his youthful ideals were tested - where Susan had demanded his soul, Kitty had been content with his heart, and he had lost that to her almost from the very  
beginning.

When the emotions he felt for Kitty seemed to threaten the Duty he felt to the Badge he broke off the relationship, Susan had been a safe substitute, for a few short weeks Susan's world became complete  
as Matt focused his romantic attentions back on her. But for Dillon it only meant emptiness in his life because Susan was no substitute Kitty and he sorely missed her. He missed her gentle laughter and  
sometimes-bawdy humor he missed the fire of her temper and the passion of her kisses. He missed the part of him that was only complete when he was with her.

It was on a hot summer night that he tried to explain this to Susan. Words spoken to a woman always difficult for him became near impossible. Susan only jeered at him saying, "You go back to your little saloon girl, and when you feel the need to settle down with a real lady, I'll be here." With those words she grabbed him, forcing all the passion she had into a kiss meant to change his mind, but it only confirmed his decision.

When the sad truth came to her that Dillon had made his choices of badge and mistress she left town, going east to attend school and then staying on to live with a wealthy widowed aunt. At the aunt's  
passing Susan determined the time was right for her return to father and Dodge City.

She came home to find her father near death, she never knew if he realized she had returned to him. At his death she vowed to complete his dream of a ditch that would divert Bart's Creek, known to the  
rest of the county as Silver Creek away from the small homesteaders like the Ronigers and small ranchers like the Watkins. Matt had urged her to reconsider warning her that a range war would result. When she refused he told her she was a `hard-hearted little fool'.

Susan didn't care, for she felt somehow she was exacting a measure of revenge against Matt and anyone else who dared to defy her wishes. She hired a gun and bloodshed occurred, Ford County was on the brink of a full-blown range war. Desperate to end the fighting before it became a bloody disaster, Matt made a careful study of the Bart's deed, and found a loophole. The creek determined the boundaries of the ranch, if Susan diverted the creek it would open up a large  
portion of her ranch to homesteaders.

Susan was beaten, and it was a bitter blow and once more she left Dodge. Moon Bar Ranch prospered under the direction of her foreman. Susan having inherited her Aunt's estate as well, could have and do as she pleased, she traveled to Europe, dined with royalty, returned to the United States and ended up in a cold lonely mansion in Boston. She realized sadly something was missing from her life and maybe something was missing from herself as well. She returned to Kansas determined to find it.

Dodge society such as it was welcomed her back with open arms. She was a strong opinionated wealthy woman and she soon found herself heading various committees and organizations, sometimes forced to work alongside another strong opinionated woman – Kitty Russell. The fact Kitty had integrated herself into Dodge society unnerved her. Susan had never been able to see beyond the cheap saloon girl dresses to the woman Kitty had become. She had never been able to understand  
the fact Kitty had made something proud of herself through sheer force of spirit.

Kitty Russell was the woman Matt Dillon had fallen in love with, and Susan had never been able to forgive her for that. However she had always been able to console herself that at least she was a  
respectable woman while Kitty was little better than a whore and had lead a sinful life.

Now with the simple words of `I do' Kitty had become respectable to even the most God fearing of Dodge City citizens, and that fact served to fuel the fire of hate that had slowly smoldered for twenty  
years.

Sterling Harris's heart had broken when his wife had passed away. She had been the love of his life. He had met Susan at a Cattlemen's Association meeting and had been impressed with her no nonsense approach to life, though cold and stern in appearance she remained a handsome woman. There was none of the sweet prettiness that had defined his wife to remind him of her loss. Their union had been a business deal, which had doubled the size of his ranch. Still he missed the comfort of a woman's love and secretly hoped that with Susan he would again find happiness. When she had demanded after the wedding that he send his three motherless children back east to boarding school he had reluctantly obliged, hoping that time alone together, would give love a chance to grow.

**GS GS GS**

Susan and Mr. Harris sat at a table in Delmonico's that morning finishing their breakfast and listening to the idle gossip being exchanged at the tables around them. The big news seemed to be the Marshal's return with the three members of the Sharlow gang, two of them alive and the other one dead. Word was that Dillon had been injured, but to what extent remained unknown.

Edsel Pry stopped by the Harris table on her way out of the restaurant, "Miss Pry have you heard the latest?" Sterling asked the elderly woman.

"The latest what, Mr. Harris?" she questioned back.

"The Marshal brought in the three of 'em that robbed the stage and murdered the Greenwoods. He killed one, Dillon himself was wounded - no one seems to know just how bad."

Miss Pry listened to the news, keeping a sharp eye on Susan's reaction to her husband's speech. "Has that Greenwood boy been out at the ranch with Miss Kitty all this time?" she queried.

"Yup, as far as I know," Sterling replied.

Susan shook her head in disgust, "That woman taking care of a child, it's just disgraceful, how can they allow it?"

"Mrs. Harris I think you have forgotten she is a married woman now, and has been a respectable member of this community for a good number of years."

"Miss Pry, maybe most of Dodge has forgotten, but you and I have been around this town long enough to remember what she was…"

Edsel looked down her long thin nose at Susan, she raised an eyebrow and responded, "Yes, I recall and I can also imagine the courage it must have taken to raise herself out of those circumstances and make something of herself." She paused and narrowed her already squinty eyes; "It seems to me you were mighty attracted to the Marshal back in those days."

"Humpf." Susan snorted. "That man was only interested in one thing, and when I wouldn't give it to him, he went right back to the woman who would."

"You don't say." Edsel replied skeptically, "Well, I must be going, good day to you Mr. Harris, Susan…"

Susan folded her arms across her chest, she was clearly annoyed with Miss Pry, and furthermore, she couldn't understand why she didn't have an ally in this woman.

"What was that about?" asked Mr. Harris his curiosity aroused.

She was about to answer him when the restaurant doors opened, she looked up to see Matt Dillon filling the frame of the doorway. The morning sun shining behind him haloed his body in light. Susan's  
heart skipped a beat, he was like some Greek god, she thought and she couldn't imagine any man alive being more handsome. She was so caught up by his appearance that she failed to notice the little boy with Dillon until he passed by her table tipped his hat and said, "Morning Susan … Mr. Harris." They took a seat at a table directly behind her.

Sterling Harris had watched the cold stern features of his wife's face soften as her eyes fixed on the lawman. A sudden understanding of Susan came to him and it brought a painful twinge to his heart.

Leaning back in her chair, she drank her coffee while trying to hear the conversation between the man and the boy. With some annoyance she ignored what she considered the mindless prattle of her  
husband. "Susan I think the time has come to have the children back home, after all we've had enough time to adjust to married life, and Dodge is their home too, it's time to become a family." The waiter  
came to give them their check but Susan quickly requested more coffee, in an effort to prolong her time in such close proximity to Matt Dillon.

With his spurs a jingling Festus Hagen entered the restaurant and headed to Matt Dillon's table nearly knocking over a waiter in the process, "Matthew, how's Miss Kitty a feelin' this morning?" he asked  
in a loud voice.

Before Matt could answer Christopher piped up, "Guess what Mr. Festus?"

Festus smiled down at the little boy and gave his head a good-natured pat, "What Pardner, did ya up and lose another tooth?"

"Naa –aaa, We're gonna have a BABY!"

The words came to Susan's ears as clearly as if they had been spoken directly in her ear, and caused the coffee to catch in her throat, and blow out her nose, forcing a fit of coughing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

Burke made himself at home leaning back in the Marshal's chair and plunking his feet atop the desk. O'Brien held his tongue, for the freight agent was doing him a favor, keeping an eye on the prisoners while Newly had breakfast and stretched his legs some, "Thanks again, I shouldn't be too long," the deputy said, as he opened the door of the jailhouse to the bright morning sunshine.

"No problem, and don't you worry none, I've got things completely under control."

Newly was no sooner outside the door, then he saw Walter Krause riding his plow horse into town. Using his hat he slapped the cumbersome creature to a faster pace, before finally pulling him to an abrupt stop when he saw Newly O'Brien in front of the Marshal's office.

"Newly, where's Doc Adams?" he yelled.

"He should be up in his office, you got trouble?

"It's one of my girls; she fell out of the hay loft. I think she busted her leg." The farmer hollered as he yanked the gelding's head in the direction of Doc's and dug his heels into the animal's flanks. The horse surged forward across the street and Walter jumped off before the animal could come to a full stop.

Forgetting his empty stomach Newly followed the farmer on foot, ready to be of help if needed. He had left the night before knowing only that Doc's two patients were resting comfortably. Adams had stopped by the Marshal's office early that morning to pick up the spare set of clothes Matt kept on hand, but Newly had been busy with the prisoners and hadn't had a chance to talk with him.

Just ahead of him, Walter Krause took the steps up to Doc's office two at a time, the big farmer barged into the office causing the pill bottles to rattle in the physician's class medicine cabinet.

Doc had been writing case notes at his desk when the frantic farmer appeared, "Doc, Thank God you're here, it's Mary Lou…" the farmer paused to catch his breath.

"Take it easy Walter," Doc urged, as he got up and quietly shut the back bedroom door, so as not to further disturb his patient.

"Sorry Doc didn't know you had someone back there." Walter apologized.

"It's all right; now tell me what's wrong with Mary Lou."

As Walter explained the accident, Newly entered the office. "Now Walter here's what I want you to do, go down to the livery and tell Hank to hitch up my buggy and bring it over here, I have some supplies I need to get together and then I'll head out to your place, but you go on ahead."

The farmer nodded and left the office much more quietly than he had entered. When his heavy booted footsteps could be heard on the stairs, Newly turned to Doc, "How are your patients this morning?" he asked.

Doc began filling his medical bag with the various supplies he felt he might need for the Krause girl, but he stopped long enough to answer O'Brien. "Matt and Chris are having breakfast and should be back soon. Now Newly, I'd like you to check Matt's shoulder, make sure the wound hasn't broke open. Try to get him to take it easy if you can, Dang fool should still be in bed, not traipsing all over Dodge."

"Sure thing." Newly said, but then his expression clouded with concern, "what about Miss Kitty?"

"I want her to rest." Doc replied firmly.

O'Brien lowered his voice, "What's wrong with her Doc?"

Adams shook his head and tweaked at his own ear, he looked up at Newly for a moment and his eyes misted over.

"What is it Doc? What's the matter with her?" Newly's voice was anxious as he imagined the worst.

Doc smiled, "She's going to have a baby."

O'Brien shook his head, as though it were filled with cobwebs, "But Doc, you said she … couldn't?"

"I was wrong, a doctor can be wrong once every twenty years or so, you know … she's suffering from complete exhaustion, we have to be mighty careful with her for the next few weeks."

"Will she be okay?"

"I believe so … I pray so. .. but she needs rest."

With the initial shock over a smile spread across the gunsmith's face, "A baby, well how about that…"

Doc's smile returned, too, grabbing his bag he said, "Well I'd better get going, Walter Krause isn't in a mood to be kept waiting." He snatched his hat from its hook by the door and left the office.

"A baby…" O'Brien repeated, he thought back to Miss Kitty's illness. He knew the story now, of how she had been stabbed and lost the baby she was carrying thirteen years before. He remembered the Marshal's pain at finding out about the child, and how Miss Kitty had kept the truth from him to spare him her pain. He clearly recalled the words of the physician saying she could never bear a child of her own. O'Brien's smile widened as the word "miracle" popped into his brain.

Very quietly he opened the bedroom door to look in on his sleeping friend. The bruise on her forehead was evidence of her collision with Doc's desk, but her sleep was natural and her color good. He studied her for a moment longer thinking of all she had been through in the years he'd known her, and he hoped she would have the physical strength to handle what was left to come. He chuckled to himself realizing there was never a time she hadn't found the strength to handle what life served.

**GS GS GS**

Sleep, blessed sleep Kitty thought as she stretched and rolled on her side, Doc had ordered her to rest and sleep for the next two days he said only then would he judge if she was fit to go back to the ranch. While she knew she would be restless long before then, this morning she was only too happy to sleep. Life had dealt her a winning hand and she counted her blessings as sleep and happy dreams carried her weary mind away.

Matt and Christopher came through Doc's door as quietly as they could. Newly greeted them in a whispered, "good morning," then added, "Doc was called out to the Krause place seems one of the twins may have broken her leg, He wanted me to check on that shoulder of yours again." O'Brien's face unsuccessfully hid a smile as he continued, "And keep an eye on the little mother. It seems congratulations are in order." He finished by holding out his hand to Dillon.

"Thanks Newly, is she awake?"

"I just checked on her and she was sleeping."

"I told Christopher here, that we would stop by and say good morning to Miss Kitty, he's a little worried about her."

"Mr. Newly, are you a Doctor?" Chris asked.

"Well not exactly but I have helped Doc out, and I've studied medicine.

The little boy's face was serious, "Is Miss Kitty going to be okay?"

O'Brien knelt down to a knee so he'd be on a level with the child, "I asked Doc the same thing this morning, and you know what he said?"

Christopher's face grew even more serious, "What?"

"He said if we take real good care of her, she and the baby will be just fine."

Chris nodded, confirming, "That's what Marshal said too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

It was late that same day when Matt and Christopher returned to the ranch - as they rode along Chris described to Dillon all that had taken place during his absence. He told him about the day they hired the cowboys and how it was when their cattle came. He talked with wide-eyed excitement that caught Dillon off guard; he hadn't realized in his absence that Kitty would work so hard to keep to the schedule he had only outlined for her.

As the buggy turned down the lane to the ranch, they saw Willie Roniger waving from the corral, as a streak of black and white fluff came running and barking from the barn to greet them.

Dillon climbed down from the buggy and stretched to ease the tight muscles in his wounded shoulder and back. Puppy yipped and nipped at his boots and he bent down and picked up the dog for a closer look.

"Well, what have we here?" Matt asked, he studied the little mutt and then put him back on the ground where Puppy promptly relieved himself atop Matt's boot. Biting his lip Chris grabbed the dog and held him out to Dillon for the formal introduction, "This is Puppy," He announced proudly, "You'll like him Marshal, he's awful smart, and I'm teaching him all kinds of tricks…"

Matt scowled down at his soiled boot and then looked back at Chris with a forced smile, "Ah, yeah, I can see that, well let's get this buggy unloaded. Why don't you grab Ma's picnic hamper?"

Wiping his boot, Dillon entered his house through the kitchen door. The exhaustion of the days on the trail and his aching shoulder seemed to envelope him; he looked around the room, Kitty's kitchen and a shock of loneliness surged through him.

The kitchen door opened and shut with a bang, and in ran Christopher followed by Puppy. "No time to feel sorry for yourself, Dillon." He thought ruefully, he picked up the picnic hamper from the floor near the door where Chris had dropped it and said a silent `thank you' to Ma for insisting it be filled with enough of her good home cooking to keep them fed for at least a couple of days.

He found energy enough to put food on the table that night and then helped Chris get settled for bed. The dog sat on the floor looking up expectantly at Matt, "What's he waiting for?" Dillon asked.

"He likes sleeping with me," Chris explained, "but his legs are too short to jump, so Miss Kitty always picks him up and puts him on my bed."

"Miss Kitty lets you sleep with a dog?"

"Ummm hmmm." Chris answered nodding his head.

"Well, if Miss Kitty says it's `okay' then I guess it's `okay'." Dillon picked up the pup and placed him at the foot of the bed; the puppy made three revolutions and flopped down with a sigh.

"Night Chris." Matt said turning to leave.

"Aren't you going to listen to my prayers?"

"Well, ahh … sure I am." He moved back to the bedside and sat down. Christopher folded his hands and bowed his head and Matt Dillon did the same.

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Dear Lord, help me to be a good boy. Please let Mama and Papa know that I love them and miss them. Thank you for taking good care of Marshal and please take care of Miss Kitty and the new baby. Amen."

"Amen." Marshal Dillon echoed.

Two days later they brought Kitty home. Christopher seemed happier than he had been since his parent's death. Puppy and Willie were waiting to meet them at the porch steps. The little dog had a habit of jumping on all fours when excited as if each leg were attached to an invisible spring. Puppy seemed to take particular delight in the arrival of Dillon and promptly did his duty on Matt's boot top. With a scowl on his face the lawman remarked, "This is going to take some getting used to."

"I thought you liked dogs." Kitty said with mock surprise while trying to suppress a giggle.

"I do, full grown dogs…who sleep in barns or doghouses and know what to use a tree for." he looked at his boot, and then turned to his wife, "as for you Miss Kitty, it's off to bed. Doc said you weren't to do anything except rest."

Now it was Kitty's turn to scowl, she realized the time at Doc's had done her a world of good, but now she was feeling better, and the idea of spending another day in bed was not a pleasant one.

She agreed, knowing better than to argue with him at this point, and knowing tomorrow he would be back on the job and she could do as she pleased. Sleep did come easily these days, it claimed her as soon as she laid her head on the pillow. She awakened to the sound of a buggy coming down the lane followed a short time later by the clear strong voice of its female occupant.

Bessie burst into the room, "Kitty Russell, I mean Dillon, I declare, aren't you just full of surprises?" She sat right down on the bed beside Kitty and scooped her into her arms, "I'm just so tickled for you, just imagine our babies will be only months apart."

Kitty returned the embrace and thought how comforting the love of friendship can be. "How far along are you?" Bessie questioned in her ear.

She pulled back a little and replied sheepishly, "Bessie, I'm over four months, I've hardly been six weeks."

"Oh." Bessie considered the ramification of an `early baby', there were always those who counted day and month of first births and were eager to set the gossip train in motion but she didn't want Kitty to trouble herself with that, "Folks lose track of the months, and the only thing that matters is a healthy child ... Kitty! You're going to be a mother!"

She blinked her eyes and shook her head, "Who would have believed it?" Kitty said still trying to adjust to the news.

"The good Lord works in strange and mysterious ways." Bessie replied with another hug.


	4. Chapter 4

**Four**

Matt's shoulder wound was healing nicely, he'd learned long ago the best way to recover from a bullet wound was to keep on going and not give the injury a chance to tighten up. He was however; still trying to recover from the shock of finding out that at age forty-five he was going to be a father. The lawman had always given a lot of thought to any life altering decision, his marriage to Kitty being proof of that pudding. The thought of Christopher as part of their family was an easy step for him; he felt close to the little boy and they had bonded early. However, he was frankly anxious about the new baby, he was delighted but he secretly wondered if he wasn't getting a bit long in the tooth for fatherhood. He was also worried about Kitty. Doc had told him in confidence that this might be a difficult time for her. The baby was bound to be large and considering Kitty's age, her health history and current state of exhaustion the chips were definitely stacked against her. Matt was determined to do everything he could to shift the odds to his wife's favor.

**GS GS GS**

The Widow Osgoode lived down the road from the Dillon Ranch. In her early fifties she'd been widowed ten years earlier and left with the task of raising her two near grown daughters on her own. Through sheer providence her farm had survived and later prospered when her daughters had married energetic young men who devoted themselves to the land. With her daughters rearing their own families and her farm in good hands, Martha dedicated herself to charity giving much of her time to the work of the church. Despite her good deeds with Dodge City charities she was generally thought of as a busy body, know it all, with a penchant for distributing gossip with the ease of a manure spreader.

Riding home several days later Dillon was mulling over the problem of household help for Kitty. As it happened the Widow Osgoode was in her front yard preparing her rose garden for winter as he passed by.

"Mrs. Osgoode." He greeted with a tip of his hat.

"Marshal…" She replied with a nod of her head.

A sudden inspiration came to Matt and he pulled his horse to a stop in front of her garden gate. The widow looked at the lawman suspiciously. "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked.

"I'm ahh, I'm looking for someone who could stay with Kitty at the ranch during the day when I'm gone, someone who could help with the cooking and housework, you see Doc wants her to take it easy, real easy."

"Whatever is wrong with her?" Mrs. Osgoode wanted to know.

He smiled, "Nothing really, it's just she's ah, she's going to have a baby."

Mrs. Osgoode's jaw dropped and she stared back at the lawman, not the least bit intimidated by his great size looking down on her from the huge beast he was riding. "Sir, you've not yet been married two months, hardly time to know if she is in the 'family way'."

Time to bite the bullet he thought, "Doc says she's over four months along."

"I see!" The widow's eyes fluttered and she sucked in her cheeks. She adjusted her shirtwaist straightened her spine and thrust forth her robust bosom. "I believe I know just the person for the job."

Dillon's eyes brightened, "Who?" he asked.

"Me!" she replied.

**GS GS GS**

Kitty Russell had always prided herself on her ability to get along with most folks. Having survived her early days in Dodge as the subject of the social morals of the City's finest she had herself adopted a policy of live and let live. There were one or two long- term exceptions to the rule. During her years in town she'd had numerous opportunities to deal with the Widow Osgoode, and they hadn't developed any kind of friendship. Kitty was never sure if that was due to an innate dislike or the fact the widow's husband Fred had been one of her best customers.

Kitty sat up in bed, pillows propped behind her, her hands busy attempting to unravel the baby blanket she was trying to knit. The yarn had become impossibly tangled, and she finally yanked the end of the yarn free from the half finished blanket admitting defeat. Adding to her frustration was Matt's news regarding her new caretaker.

"I will not have that judgmental woman in my house nosing through my cupboards, washing my unmentionables, and telling me what to do." Her tone was steady but her face set firmly in a stubborn glare.

"Look Kitty, I talked with Doc yesterday, he wants you to conserve your strength, you need someone to help around here, we all do, at least give it a fair try." He gave her an encouraging smile before he quickly ducked out of the room.

Her glare turned to an angry scowl and she grabbed the ball of yarn and hurled it at the door, then sat there with her arms folded across her chest, she was helpless and she knew it.

On the other side of the door, Dillon had waited for the thud he knew would come, when it did he smiled, grateful the nearest thing to her had been a ball of yarn and thankful the old Kitty was returning.

She felt fine; in fact she'd never felt better. She'd had no queasiness for weeks, and the fatigue, which had plagued her prior to Matt's return, had all but abated, she felt surges of boundless energy. Furthermore it surprised her that pregnancy seemed to be a most natural state, she felt and looked younger than she had in years. Still, she was tied to her bed by Doc's orders and guilt, lest her actions cause some harm for their unborn child.

**GS GS GS**

Along with her other bothersome traits Widow Osgood was a snoop. She relished this opportunity to find out everything she could about that infamous Russell woman and she would delight in passing on the information in tantalizing tidbits at the next Ladies' Aid meeting. Of course the juiciest of morsels was the fact Miss Russell was expecting. `Imagine' she thought `at their age, well obviously the woman had finally resorted to the oldest trick in the book to hook a man. Humpf, if the Marshal was dumb enough to fall for it, then he deserved everything he got.'

Kitty's usually neat kitchen had suffered badly since her forced confinement, while Matt and Christopher had tried to keep up with things, the best they'd been able to achieve was the dirty dishes stacked by the dry sink rather than laying helter-skelter, mumble jumble. Still recovering from his bullet wound, Dillon didn't have the energy left by the end of the day to do more than heat up some soup and toast some bread for supper. Fortunately Bessie and Ma had kept them stocked in both bread and soup. Now, Martha Osgoode surveyed the dirty kitchen and said under her breath, "Well I might have expected as much from the likes of her."

Turning a blind eye to everything that was neat and pleasant and spoke of a loving home, Martha instead focused on the dirty dishes and the floor in obvious need of scrubbing. As Matt showed her around the house she, uttered a condescending, "tsk, tsk." at every room. The final stop was the Dillon bedroom, a room half the Ladies Aid society had wondered about and discussed in small circles with the help of dandelion wine to loosen their tongues. Now, Martha would be able to tell them the most intimate details of this ultimate den of iniquity.

It was hard to miss the enormous brass bed; it took up most of the room, its size too large for just sleeping purposes and Martha's cheeks flushed at the thought of the carnal acts which had taken place there. Had Martha cared to notice she would have seen the neat dresser with brush and comb arranged just so and dainty dollies decorating the golden oak surfaces. She would have noticed freshly starched white curtains at the windows and a quilt in soft warm colors covering the bed. Martha chose to see none of these things. With her substantial arms folded across her massive bosom and her eye glasses resting mid nose she said, "Marshal Dillon, I expect you have responsibilities to attend to. I will deal with the situation here. Of course it will take a mighty effort on my part. How you people have lived with the filth in that kitchen is beyond me…" She turned to Kitty, "Miss Russell, I shall bring you egg nog to keep up your strength."

Kitty winced at the words, "Miss Russell" but decided against correcting this woman, the fewer words that passed between them the better.

The sound of the kitchen door slamming announced the arrival of Christopher, Kitty smiled at the already familiar sound. He had been given the morning chore of checking the chickens, he was to rake out the pen, feed them and gather the eggs. His chicken chores completed he would be looking for some breakfast.

His happy face popped in the bedroom doorway. "G'morning Miss Kitty." He said, his hair was uncombed and his untamed colic forced his hair straight up in the back, his barn clothes were soiled and his face was in need of a good scrubbing. Puppy panting happily at his side wasn't much better, and the pair had been followed by a muddy trail all the way from the chicken coop.

Widow Osgoode was aghast, "Young man, get out of those horrendous clothes at once, I'll not stand for that kind of mess as long as I am in charge of this house, furthermore I will not tolerate living with animals."

There was obvious hurt on the little boy's face, for he had always been treated with kindness, respect and humor. It was more than Kitty could stand and she made a move to get out of her bed. "Mrs. Osgoode, Christopher was doing his chores…."

Matt interrupted, "Mrs. Osgoode I thought you were going to get Kitty an egg nog." He turned to the boy and said, "Come on Chris, I'll help you get cleaned up before I head into town."

Martha's unpleasant features turned to a frown and she raised her nose an inch higher in the air as she turned and marched out of the room.

Kitty was seething and Dillon was almost hesitant to meet her eye but he did, "Matt Dillon you had better not leave me alone with that woman, or I swear you'll come back to arrest me for murder."

"Now Kitty, she means well, and we do need her help." He moved closer and bent down to give the top of her head a kiss. "You get your rest and I'll see you tonight."

Kitty lay back against the pillow and pounded the quilt with her fists in frustration as she listened to the sound of his boots going up the stairs to Christopher's room. She knew without a doubt she was in for a long day.

Kitty's appetite had returned to its usual healthy state in the last few days but the sight and smell of the Widow's egg nog, brought an immediate reaction from her stomach, and much to her horror, she was forced to make a mad dash for the chamber pot where she promptly lost her breakfast.

Mrs. Osgoode glared disapprovingly at Kitty as she emerged from behind the screen. She shook a finger at her as if she had thrown up on purpose, "Miss Russell, you really must make effort to keep every bit of nourishment in your stomach, at your age and the wild heathen life you've lead, you could very easily miscarry this child."

Kitty's head was still spinning from the nausea or she would surely have ended this strange alliance then and there as it was she crept back to bed and hoped for the best. However the final straw was broken not long after. Kitty had been resting close to dreamland to be awaked by the shrill voice of the Widow screeching at Christopher. Rolling herself out of bed Kitty grabbed her robe and headed for the kitchen.

"Young man I have made it clear to you, you are not to slam this door, and you are to wipe your feet clean, and I'll not have that mongrel in the house, since you can't remember my WORDS, I shall give you something you WILL remember."

Kitty entered her kitchen to see Christopher trying to escape the clutches of Mrs. Osgood as she held on to his arm and whacked his bottom with a rolled up newspaper. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I promise..." he cried as she continued the beating.

"Mrs. Osgoode, let go of that boy!" Kitty demanded in a loud voice, her hands on her hips.

"Miss Russell, I am teaching this child about respect. I should think you'd be some concerned about that madam."

"The name is MRS. DILLON, and as for Christopher he is the most respectful child I know, and I couldn't be prouder of him and the way he has handled himself. As for you MRS. Osgoode, you will kindly remove yourself from this house immediately!"

"Humpf," Martha snorted, releasing Christopher, "Well it's obvious you don't care anymore about this orphan than you do about the child you're carrying … I would expect as much from the likes of you."

With her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, Kitty said, "You are right about one thing, I couldn't love Christopher anymore if he was my own. Now if you don't leave my home immediately I will make good my threat to the Marshal and get out my shotgun."

With another, "Humpf," Mrs. Osgood made a hasty exit, as Christopher watched wide-eyed. When they heard her buggy driving down the lane, he turned to Kitty and said, "It's all right Miss Kitty, I can take good care of you."

She knelt down and pulled him tight to her, "Chris, we'll take good care of each other."


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

The Martha Osgoode incident put an immediate end to Kitty's bed rest. She stated bluntly to both Matt and Doc she would do what she damn well pleased and the two of them would just have to trust her judgment, after all she was a big girl and had been looking out for herself for a long time. The two gentlemen relented and thereafter refrained from mentioning the Widow in Kitty's company knowing for certain sure she would not fail to remind them of the fiasco which resulted from that woman's half day employment.

**GS GS GS**

The trial of the Sharlow brothers for the murder of Thad and Sara Greenwood was to take place in Hayes City. Both Matt and Christopher were scheduled to testify. Kitty wanted desperately to be and Sara's passing had deeply affected them all. There were times when Kitty would think about how happy her world was only to feel a sharp pang of guilt as she realized Thad and Sara were no longer there to enjoy it, and Christopher, one of her greatest sources of happiness, was with her only because of their passing

**GS GS GS**

Kitty finished buttoning her blouse, the physical exam over, she turned to her doctor and said resolutely, "I AM going to make that trip with Matt and Christopher."

Adams had given in on a number of matters lately but he wasn't about to this time. He sucked on a tooth for a moment, shook his head, and stated without room for argument, "As your personal physician I forbid it. You are in no condition for a bumpy train ride."

In her stocking feet she stood level with the doctor, and now their eyes locked in a battle of will. She planted hands on hips, "You just said I'm doing fine, and you know Chris is going to need me."

Matt had been standing looking out Doc's window throughout the exam and the exchange of words, but now he turned around and walked behind Kitty. He cupped her shoulders in his large hands and said, "Doc's the boss…"

With a faint chuckle Adams said, "Come the time, I might just have to remind you you've said that."

Dillon frowned, "I don't like leaving you alone right now."

She wiggled out of his hold, bending over at what used to be her waistline, and began struggling with her shoes. The combination of corset and rapidly expanding midsection were making the task difficult. With a shake of his head, Dillon dropped to a knee and performed the task for her.

"I might have a solution to this problem," Adams said thoughtfully, as he removed his glasses and placed them carefully in their case, "You know I've been giving this some thought, John Bledsoe is back in town now, and it might be a good idea if I made myself scarce for a week, so folks can learn to count on him. How about if I move out to the ranch until you get back?"

Matt stood up and smiled his relief at his friend, "That would be just fine Doc."

**GS GS GS**

The next day Kitty and Doc saw Matt and Christopher off to Hayes City. It wasn't until the train was puffing down the track that Kitty let the tears come. Doc tugged his ear and put his hand to her back. She shook her head in annoyance, "I don't know what`s the matter with me? It seems like I cry over everything lately."

Adams patted her shoulder and handed over his fresh hanky, "Nothing the matter with you my dear, you are perfectly normal." His smile coaxed hers in return. They would have set off immediately for the ranch had it not been for an emergency at the Davis farm. A frantic Dr. John Bledsoe cornered Doc on his way to the stable, "I'm going to need your help, Clem Davis had a tree fall on him, he has severe internal injuries, but they won't let me operate, he said the only one he'd let cut on him is you."

Doc nodded, "Let me get my bag," he turned to Kitty, "This may take a while, if I'm not back by dark, why don't you stay at Ma's?"

Kitty gave him an understanding look; she was a pro at being stood up when duty called the men she cared about. "You just do what you've got to do, don't worry about me."

She stood for a moment, indecisive, wondering what to do with herself, she looked up and down the street, and her eye caught sight of Mary Helgemoe's Dress Shoppe. The blue gabardine skirt and vest, always a favorite of hers, suddenly felt unbearably tight and the lacing of her corset seemed to be restricting her breathing. Although she knew the cut of the vest concealed her condition the thought of being comfortable was beginning to outweigh her vanity.

"I'll just see what Mary has in her window," she thought as she walked down the street to her favorite store. The dressmaker saw her at the window and waved her in. The little bespeckled dressmaker with the high-pitched voice, rushed to the door to meet her with a congratulatory hug, "Oh Kitty, I'm so happy for you!" she bubbled.

"You know?" Kitty asked in surprise.

"Miss Kitty, I suspect that most of Dodge knows, other than one or two dimwitted men." She pulled back from the hug to study Kitty's figure, finishing with a smile, "I am just delighted with your expectations."

An uncharacteristic blush reddened Kitty's cheeks. Mary smiled warmly, "as soon as I heard, I went right to work and I have two gowns already finished!"

"You are a wonder," Kitty sighed, "You mean I can be comfortable again?"

Nodding Mary led her to the back room where her handiwork was hanging. The dressmaker had fashioned two maternity gowns; one was a deep royal azure with a V front, which accentuated Kitty's graceful neck. The color was a perfect compliment to her lovely blue eyes. With Mary's help Kitty tried the garment on, she turned this way and that admiring her image, but when she noticed the extended angles of her silhouette she laughed out loud, "Well, there's no denying this little package any longer." She declared patting her growing belly.

She was so delighted with the dress that she decided to wear it, the second gown was a more subtle gray which nevertheless played off of her beauty and coloring. Kitty left Mary's with her arms full of packages; she had the two new gowns, three blouses and an assortment of pretty undergarments and several more items on order.

Back on the boardwalk she contemplated what to do next. The sound of piano music drifting from the Long Branch seemed to draw her closer like some forgotten habit suddenly remembered. She walked down the wooden planks keeping time with the tune until she was standing at the batwing doors.

Sam the bartender looked up from the beer he was serving, a wide grin broke across his face and she exchanged it with of her own. As she walked through the door she saw that smile was about all he had time for. The place was busy, she grabbed Mabel who was rushing from table to table and asked, "What's the problem here?"

"Oh Miss Kitty, we're short staffed, Miss Hannah has a bad cold and took to her bed, it's just me and Sam until 4:30 when Adele comes in." Kitty took another look around the busy room; she knew how tempers could flare under these circumstances. With only Sam and Mabel to handle the crowd things could get out of hand in a hurry. She made the decision to help without giving it a lot of extra thought. Grabbing an apron she stepped behind the bar and started working.

Sam glanced at Kitty, her new blue gown highlighted the blue of her eyes and the color of her cheeks was a healthy natural blush, she looked younger and softer than he could ever remember seeing her and Sam a confirmed bachelor could only suppose it was due to her delicate condition.

The bartender had always admired her skill at work, she could smile sweetly at a customer rapt with her beauty, while washing bar glasses, refilling drinks and laughing at the punch line of an off color joke, and she did it all with an ease that left no one feeling slighted by a lack of attention

**GS GS GS**

Their 3:30 PM beer had been a tradition longer than the three men cared to admit, they met at the Long Branch every business day promptly at that appointed hour. They were Halligan, Burke and Lathrop, three of Dodge City's most upstanding businessmen. They assembled their positions at the near end of the bar, ready to discuss the news of the day and solve any town crisis that might need their astute intellect. Long ago they had taken to calling themselves the Three-Thirty Libation and Sociable Club.

Kitty had been busy washing bar glasses, with her back to the trio and hadn't noticed them come in. Nathan Burk had been the first to recognize her red hair behind the bar, "Hey Miss Kitty, good to see you, how's married life treating you?" She turned around at the sound of his voice and the answer to Burke's question was soon apparent to all members of the Three-thirty Libation and Sociable Club. They stood, eyeballs popping and mouths agape at Kitty's protruding belly.

She'd been so busy that afternoon that she hadn't noticed the head of Martha Osgoode poking over the saloon doors. Martha took in the scene at the bar. Her piggish eyes formed a tight line and her mouth puckered. She left as quickly as she could to tell Susan Bart Harris just what she had seen.

At 4:30 Adele came in, Kitty gave her a grateful smile, she was tired and ready to put her feet up. "I'll be over at Ma's if Doc comes looking for me, could you have someone bring my packages over there before tomorrow?" she asked.

"Sure thing Miss Kitty and thanks." The bartender smiled and for just a flash his features relaxed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Six**

Late the following day, Kitty and Doc finally headed out to the ranch. It had taken all night for Adams to convince Clem's wife that his new associate had a fine medical mind and could be trusted to perform surgery on the injured rancher. With mixed feelings Adams knew John Bledsoe's success would soon win over other patients and Doc Adams would slowly but surely become obsolete.

The old man was determined to use this time to just enjoy being with Kitty. He had missed her company in town and had been giving more thought to relinquishing his practice altogether to his young partner and taking up permanent residence at the Dillon Ranch.

The first morning Doc prepared breakfast. He had a fair amount of domestic skills that he hadn't put to use in many a year. It was a wonderful meal of flapjacks, hash browns and ham topped off with a steaming cup of coffee, without an egg in sight. How Doc knew the sight of eggs turned her stomach, she didn't ask. They spent a long time around the kitchen table just talking and enjoying each other's company. Indian summer was in full season, and they took advantage of the nice weather to go fishing, they caught enough fish for dinner and for the first time in years Doc seemed to catch up on his relaxation too. Kitty was pleased to see the tension ease from his face as the calming sounds of the stream soothed his frazzled nerves.

**GS GS GS**

Doc insisted Kitty take a nap in the afternoon and that's when he disappeared to the barn where he and Willie worked away at some secret project.

"Damn!" Adams cursed as he missed the nail again and hit his already throbbing thumb.

"Ah… Doc," Willie said. "Why don't you let me hammer that together for you, my sight is better than yours." The boy told him bluntly.

"Let me tell you something young feller, my father was a master carpenter, now I must have inherited something from him, so just hush up and hand me a fresh nail."

Adams pulled the bent nail out of the board he'd been working on and took the new one, this time his aim was true and the nail was successfully driven home.

**GS GS GS**

"What are you up to anyway Curly?" Kitty asked him one night at dinner. She had noticed that every evening he seemed to have a new nick or sliver in his hands and his thumb seemed to glow a deep purple.

"I'm just working on a little surprise," Adams replied evasively.

She stared at him for a moment, her expression quizzical, "What kind of surprise?"

"Now just don't you go worrying about it, when it's time for you to know, you'll know." The doctor chided.

"I wonder about you, seems like you're getting mighty mysterious on me." She teased.

He feigned crotchetiness, "Well if you must know... I'm making something for the baby."

"Not a rocky mule I hope." She asked with a giggle.

"No I'll leave that to greater minds."

"Well what then Doc?" she coaxed.

He examined his napkin for a moment, "I'm making the baby a cradle."

"Doc!" The word came out in both amazement and delight.

"I wanted to do something special for this baby," he was a little embarrassed by his admission, "I kinda feel like his grandpa, like I do Chris…" He tugged at this ear and stood up taking their plates to the dry sink.

"Doc, they couldn't have a finer grandfather…" she paused a moment and when he met her eyes she continued, "But you're going to bring this baby into the world, I can't think of anything you could do that would be more special than that."

Adams had been giving considerable thought to his next statement, it had been a hard decision for him to make and he knew it would be a hard decision for her to accept. "Kitty, I'm not going to deliver your baby, John Bledsoe is, you're too important to me young lady … I want the best for you… I'm an old man…" his voice trailed off to a whisper. "Oh Doc, don't be silly you could deliver a baby in the dark with one hand tied behind your back," she told him determined not to take him seriously.

He moved his chair so that he was facing her and sat down. Taking her hands in his, he said with a solemn voice, "Kitty there was a time I believe I could have, but not now, and if there were complications, and I'm not saying this to frighten you, but it is always a possibility then you will need a young doctor with good eyes and steady hand."

"Doc…" His words did frighten her; she knew he was talking about taking the baby surgically - a cesarean section.

"Now Kitty," the old man soothed, "if I thought there were going to be any problems would I be making a cradle?"

"No, but you wouldn't be trying to talk me into seeing John Bledsoe either."


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven**

The train ride to Hayes was a new experience for Christopher, and keeping a seven year old entertained was an equally new experience for Matt, Dillon. The novelty soon wore off for both of them.

The passenger car was half full, carrying an assortment of travelers from soldiers on leave and salesmen to an elderly couple on their way to visit grandchildren. Christopher introduced himself to each of them as he bounded from seat to seat checking out the view from each window.

"It all looks the same out there, now come over here and sit down." Dillon ordered.

Obediently the child planted himself next to the lawman, but he was restless. He squirmed, wiggling this way and that, while swinging his legs back and forth. With each swing he banged the seat. "Christopher can't you just sit still? You're going to be worn out by the time we get there."

"How much longer?" he asked.

"We just got started." Matt replied.

"I gotta go." Chris said.

"Go where?" Matt asked, not associating Christopher's restlessness with a nature call.

The little boy crossed his legs tightly together and sat uneasily in his seat. Leaning over he whispered urgently. "I gotta pee."

Dillon raised his eyebrows, not prepared for that kind of accident; he grabbed the little boy's hand and walked him to the end of the car where the `convenience' was located. Figuring he'd solved the child's fidgetiness and the rest of the trip would be a breeze the pair settled back in their seats.

For a little while he did sit quietly with his hands folded nicely in his lap, looking out the window. Matt decided it might be safe to catch a little shuteye. He slid his Stetson down over his face.

"Are we almost there yet?" a little voice piped up.

"No Chris, we still have a long way to go," Dillon answered from beneath his hat.

"I'm hungry." The child whined.

Matt slid the hat back and sat up. He opened up the basket filled with sandwiches Kitty had made for them that morning and handed one to his traveling companion. It kept him busy for just under five  
minutes.

"How much longer do you think it will be?" Chris asked.

Matt narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself to answer calmly. "It's going to be a while yet." Then he remembered the book Kitty had packed along for Chris to read. He offered it to him, "Why don't you read your story for a while?"

Curling up in the seat next to Matt he opened the book and began studying the pictures at the start of each chapter. Matt breathed a sigh of relief and settled his Stetson back over his eyes. He was just about asleep when he felt a tug at his sleeve, "Marshal what's this word."

Matt's look followed the small finger as he pointed to the word, "Mischief," he read aloud.

"Thanks."

Dillon waited a few moments before he relaxed covering his eyes with the Stetson once again; he'd no sooner started to snore than there was another pull at his shirtsleeve.

"Marshal … you sleeping Marshal?"

"Hmmmmm…?" he muttered from beneath the hat.

"Do you know what this word is? It's a real big one, and I can't rightly sound it out."

Taking the hat off, he sat up again, and read the word, "Whitewash." His face was a cross between a grin and a wince and he was close to completely losing his patience. He wondered briefly how Kitty was able to be so tolerant and calm with the child. He looked again at the little boy and then smiled and tossed his hat to the empty seat facing them. He ran his fingers through his hair, and then took the book out of the boy's hand. "How would it be if I read the book to you?" he asked.

"Would you really Marshal? I'd like that fine."

He urged the little boy closer and opened the book and started reading, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain."

_"TOM!"_

_No answer._

_"TOM!"_

_No answer._

_"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"_

_No answer._

_The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them."_

Chris snuggled against Matt and the miles flew by outside the train window as both man and boy were transported to a small Missouri town along the Mississippi River.

**GS GS GS**

Tom Lynott met them at the train station. "Penny is sure tickled to have you and the young'n spending time with us," Lynott said as he led the way to his waiting buggy, "but how come Miss Kitty didn't  
come with you?"

Dillon responded with a straight face, "Like you always say Tom, `two feet would be a mile without her.'" Matt swung Chris into the buggy and then climbed up after him.

Lynott clucked to his mare and the buggy started off down the road, he turned to Matt and asked, "Well Pilgrim, then where is she? You two ain't feuding already?"

Dillon chuckled at that remark then explained, "Doc didn't think it would be a good idea for her to travel considering her delicate condition."

Lynott pulled the buggy to a stop and stared at his friend in shocked silence. Then he slapped his knee, "Well ain't that a one to be telling ol' Ferguson. Hell, wait til Penny hears … congratulations Matt!"

Penny Lynott quelled a faint twinge of envy for the newlyweds and asked to hear every detail. She didn't bat an eye when she heard the baby would be born sometime in March. Tom Lynott watched his wife's eagerness with a sense of surprise; it had never dawned on him before that she might have a hunger for a child of her own.

His new insight made him especially mindful of Penny's interaction with Christopher; he studied her with fresh eyes while she shared a little joke with the boy and hurried him off to the kitchen for milk and cookies.

Matt and Chris shared the Lynott's spare room. For three days Matt left in the morning returning late in the afternoon to attend the trial. He waited for the boy to ask questions about the proceedings,  
but the child seemed to prefer to ignore the trial instead talking about the day he'd spent with Penny Lynott.

On the third night as he was tucking the child in bed, Matt informed him that he would need to accompany him to the courtroom the following day.

"What will I have to do?" Chris asked sitting up in bed.

Matt sat down, facing the boy as he explained, "Well the lawyers will ask you questions and you will answer them the very best you can."

"Will those Sharlow men be there?"

Matt nodded.

"They killed my mama and pa…"

"I know son."

"Marshal, I'm scared…I'm afraid to see those men again." Chris admitted with a heavy voice.

Dillon reached over and gripped the boy's shoulder, "Do you know what the word justice means?"

Chris started to shake his head yes, but in thinking it over decided that maybe he didn't really know and his lips formed a soundless "no".

"It means that if you do something wrong, you have to pay for it. Part of being a lawman like me or like your pa was is to make sure justice is done. The Sharlows have to pay for what they did; your parents deserve to have that justice done. The only way for that to happen is for you to be on the witness stand and tell the court what happened."

Matt watched the little boy's expression wondering if he could possibly understand how important his testimony was. Chris had listened to Dillon's words carefully, "I'm sorry for being scared." He swallowed hard and blinked his eyes against tears, "I reckon I must be a coward."

Lifting him gently off the bed, Matt swung him to the floor so that he was standing on his feet between Matt's legs. The little boy looked at the floor, his admission making him too ashamed to seek out the lawman's eyes. Dillon took Christopher's chin between his thumb and forefinger and raised his face to capture his eyes.

"The true measure of courage is even when you're afraid, standing up to your fears to do the right thing."

Christopher Thaddeus Greenwood, age seven, sat on the witness stand with his eyes fixed on Matt Dillon drawing strength for the courage he needed. He answered the lawyer's questions the best he could and he pointed to the Sharlow brothers when asked to identify the men who had killed his parents. When it was over and Matt and Christopher walked out of the courtroom together Dillon thought the boy had grown six inches since the night before.

The two left for home right after the trial; Christopher gave Penny a hug and shook Tom's hand. "Good luck to you, Little Pard." Lynott said.

"Give Kitty our love." Penny whispered in Matt's ear as she stepped on tiptoe to give his cheek a kiss.

When they were back on the train Matt turned to the boy, "I'm proud of you son, you did a man's job." The praise eased the hurt in his heart and he slid closer to the Marshal.

The Sharlow brothers were convicted of the murders of Thaddeus and Sara Greenwood and sentenced to death, but were extradited to Missouri where they were to stand trial on similar charges.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

For the first time in their brief marriage life fell in a predictable pattern. Dillon rode into Dodge every morning, he was delegating more and more of the out of town travel to Newly and Festus, but was finding there was plenty to keep him busy right in town. He wasn't ready to give up the badge, duty still binding him to his responsibilities, but he realized it was losing much of its hold.

Christopher started school, most days riding to and from town with the Ronigers whose wagon passed by the Dillon ranch twice a day.

Young Willie Roniger was in charge of the day-to-day upkeep of the ranch and Bertha Wagner was hired to help Kitty with the household chores. Bertha, whose husband was in prison, was happy to have the work. She was a large boned woman, plain in face but with a pleasant personality and accustomed to heavy labor.

**GS GS GS**

The success of the ranch depended on a number of things, but one of the most important that fall was the harvesting of the hay crop, Without this valuable feed, their cattle would not survive the harsh prairie winter.

Bent Dillard and Will Roniger along with a small army of area ranchers and farmers came over to help with the chore. The Dillon fields were littered with hay wagons pulled by strong work horses and men armed with scythe and sickles harvesting the crop while others used pitchforks to toss the yield onto the wagon beds. It was a hot fall day and everyone was expected to work hard, but it was also a good neighborly day each knowing the favor would be returned along the way.

Kitty with Bessie and Bertha's help spent the time in the kitchen cooking or out in the yard dishing out food. She secretly thought all her years serving beer at the Long Branch had prepared her well for this stage of her life.

It was when she was returning to the yard with a pot of coffee that she overheard a conversation between Will and Bent.

"Miss Kitty looks mighty fine," Bent had said.

"Married life agrees with her," Will responded.

"Appears they tied the knot just in time though," Bent chuckled with an elbow to Will's ribs, "That baby must be a coming a good three months too soon."

Kitty retreated quickly to the kitchen before the two men noticed her. She was unusually quiet the rest of the day. That night Matt had been full of the news of what had occurred out in the field. "Bent did this, Will said that" and Kitty had smiled and nodded but Dillon had the feeling she wasn't really listening. Finally he asked if something was bothering her. She said an unconvincing, `no' so he persisted. Finally with a sigh she confessed to the conversation she had overheard.

"Kitty this baby is a gift, and you know it, I'm not going to let any gossip get in the way of enjoying it," his voice was almost stern as he said this, adding, "and you aren't either."

**GS GS GS**

Dillon sat at the desk in the parlor concentrating on the bookwork, which he hated. He hadn't given consideration to all the paperwork involved in running a successful operation. Money was tight; he had promised himself that they would not use Kitty's funds for the upkeep of the ranch. He would have preferred to provide for his wife's every need, but that was impossible considering the lifestyle she was accustomed to. For a good number of years she had allowed herself just about anything she had wanted. And while she wasn't extravagant, she did appreciate the nice things in life. She had approached him several times in the last month about taking over the bookwork, she argued that after all she had run a successful business for a good number of years and she was sure she could at least help with the ranch book keeping. She reminded him she had been doing her homework and was gaining a good knowledge of the business of ranching.

He had given her that look of is and said, "I'm sorry Kitty but I have to do things my way."

She had returned with a wifely eye and said, "Is that a fact?"

Unbeknownst to him, she had looked at the books earlier in the day while he had been at the office and she knew he needed to do something soon or they would be in financial trouble. Now she approached him with a new angle.

"What you need is a partner to provide financial backing while the business is getting started." She pointed out.

He was deep in thought and at first what she said didn't register.

She tried again, "It could be a silent partner, no one need ever know that you have a partner, not if you don't want them too. I'm sure papers could be drawn up, if you felt it necessary just so everythingis legal."

She had his attention now, "and just who do you propose would be a good, ah … _silent_ partner?"

She paused making a show of carefully considering his question, "it would have to be someone with the financial resources, someone whose money wasn't already tied up in another business." She explained matter of factly.

"Now Kitty," he frowned seeing through her charade.

"Matt, make me your partner."

"We've been through this."

"Oh Matt!" She said in complete exasperation, "I thought we were in this together, but you won't let me and that's just plain stupid, and I never thought of you as a stupid man."

Chris was lying on the parlor floor by the fireplace with his lesson book in front of him and Puppy beside him. At the prospect of a good fight, he raised himself to a sitting position to get a better view.

"Matt, please let me help, this is my future too."

Dillon pushed himself out of the chair, and walked to the fireplace to stand beside Christopher though he hardly noticed him. The lawman's hands were in his front pockets and he was waging a minor war inside. Finally he turned around and said, "Sometimes a woman can be too smart for her own good."

"Then you will let me be a partner?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded.

"And you'll let me help with the books?" she prodded.

He nodded and smiled and she did the same, while pulling a chair to sit beside him at the desk, and together they plotted the future of the Dillon Ranch on Silver Creek.

**GS GS GS**

Miss Burrow addressed the class, "Children as part of the Thanksgiving festival, I want you to write a report on your family and why you are thankful for them – tell me about what your father does, where you live, tell me about your Grandma and Grandpa, Aunts and Uncles, anyone who makes up a part of your family, and then for our Thanksgiving program, I will chose the best example from each grade and that child will read their piece to the mothers and fathers who are present."

The teacher handed out the paper and pencils, "Now even though this is your rough copy I want you to use your very best penmanship."

Christopher sat at his desk between Tommy and Timmy Roniger. Tommy poked Chris's shoulder and leaning over his desk whispered in his ear, "What's ya gonna write about Chris, your Ma and Pa are dead?"

Benny, who sat to the side of Chris turned back to his brother and said, "Hush up, the Marshal and Miss Kitty are his family now."

Timmy turned around scowling at his brothers, "Ya all better hush up because here comes Miss Burrow."

Bonnie Burrow had been a teacher for a number of years; she had always approached her profession with a sense of adventure, though compact in build, her generous nature possessed large quantities of enthusiasm and patience. She enjoyed her students but had found the Roniger triplets to be three of her greatest challenges. Now she walked down the aisle to her second grade students. "Is there a  
problem here children?" she asked.

Benny and Timmy said in unison, "No ma'am." But Timmy boldly announced, "It's about Christopher, he ain't got no ma or pa…"

"He hasn't got a Ma or Pa, Tommy." The teacher patiently corrected.

"That's right Ma'am, he ain't, now what's he s'posed to write about?"

The teacher knelt down so she was on the same level as her students, "Family can mean different things to different people Sometimes the people who are your family aren't your real mother and father, but they love and care for your needs, and care what happens to you, so I think Christopher should write about Marshal and Mrs. Dillon." She studied her newest pupil, but couldn't read the thoughts of his wistful expression.

**GS GS GS**

The Roniger's wagon was always overflowing on the ride home from school, usually with extra children to be dropped off along the way. Chris sat between Ben and Tim and was unusually quiet. He was puzzling over a question that kept going through his mind. Finally he asked the boys, "What do you have to do to get adopted?"

"Gessh Chris, we was just babies, how would we know?" Ben said.

"Besides they ain't gonna adopt you, you're too big, and they're gonna have a baby all of their own."

Chris became quiet again, he didn't know if he wanted to be adopted or not, he certainly didn't want to forget his parents, but as all children do he felt a desperate need to belong to someone.

Will Roniger had heard part of this conversation and thought he had better share it with Matt and Miss Kitty.

**GS GS GS**

Matt poured the farmer a cup of coffee. He had been surprised when his neighbor dropped by his office that morning. Will explained the children's conversation he'd overheard the afternoon before.

"I know something about young'ns after all these years, and that boy feels the need to be part of a family."

Matt listened and then said, "He's been family all his life Will, he knows that…"

Will agreed, "Sure he knows that, but he's worried no one else does."

Matt took a sip of the hot brew, letting the liquid burn its way downn his throat and wincing at the strength of it before answering Will, "Maybe Kitty and I should think about formal adoption…"

**GS GS GS**

Dillon's boots thumped one after the other to the hard wood floor, he unbuttoned his pants and stepped out of them, his military training demanded he fold these carefully which he did, placing them on his dresser, his dirty shirt and socks were dropped in a wicker laundry basket behind the door. He stretched his muscles to loosen them and then slipped beneath the sheets to await his wife who was busy with her own nighttime rituals.

She sat at her dressing table pulling her hair free of its many pins, from the bed he asked, "What would you think of us adopting Christopher, making it legal so he never has to worry about who his family is?"

"I've been thinking about it since we brought him home with us, but I thought it was too soon to say anything, you know I remember all to well what it was like when my mother died, for a long time I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, I don't want Chris to ever feel like that."

Matt nodded as his thoughts traveled back to his own early years and the loneliness of being the one left behind. He plumped the pillows behind his back to watch Kitty finish her bedtime ceremony. He had always enjoyed this show. The hair finally set free from the pins was then brushed over one hundred strokes, he knew because one night he had counted. With the brushing completed she began the plaiting process. She had started braiding her hair when he had been away from home tracking the Sharlows; she claimed it made her hair easier to handle in the morning.

This night however Dillon had a request, "Leave it loose," she caught his eyes in the mirror smiled and nodded to his reflection.

"I had my first visit with Dr Bledsoe today," she said.

"What did he have to say?"

"Well, he examined me."

Dillon frowned, "What do you mean, he EXAMINED you?"

She raised her eyebrows, cocked her head and said again, "He EXAMINED me."

"Does he HAVE to do that?"

"No not every time, it's just this was the first time, and he wanted to make sure everything is okay."

Dillon continued to scowl, "I don't see why Doc is insisting on this Bledsoe fella. Do you like him?"

"Yeah, he was very nice, I had some questions and he answered them." She suddenly felt shy, which was a strange sensation for Kitty Russell. She wet her lips before continuing, "Matt…"

"Hmmm?

"He did say it would be okay for us to, ah … well you know…"

Dillon looked at her while the meaning hit his brain, and then his face and voice brightened, "He did … he's sure it's okay, it won't hurt you or the baby?"

Her heart quickened responding to the eagerness in his voice. Standing she walked to the bed, letting her silk robe slide from her shoulders to the floor. With a limberness he'd always appreciated she climbed upon the bed and settled herself astride his body. Leaning forward she whispered in his ear, "He did say we might have to be a little more … creative."

Matt chuckled as his arms enfolded her, "My respect for his medical opinion is growing."


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

Other than Matt and Kitty's close circle of friends, few people could have the understanding and appreciation of their relationship, as did Judge Caleb Brooker. He had been keenly aware of the price these two had paid over the years for the badge Matt Dillon wore. He knew just how close the badge had come to destroying the couple when Jude Bonner and his men had attacked Kitty. And, perhaps he alone understood the full measure of courage it had taken on each of their part to rebuild a trusting and loving relationship. Brooker understood this all because he had lived through the same nightmare with his own wife years before. Now as a guest in their new home, Brooker could only reflect that they at last had the peace they deserved.

Kitty had served her much acclaimed fried chicken with all the fixings, she knew the judge to be a fair man with a hearty appetite. It had been a pleasant meal and one the Judge clearly enjoyed.

Kitty rose from her place next to Matt, "Christopher why don't you come in the kitchen and help me with the pie."

"Okay." He responded cheerfully and followed Kitty through the swinging door separating the two rooms.

"He seems happy Matt, so does Kitty." The judge observed.

Dillon nodded, "Chris still has his rough times, I guess we all do, Thad and Sara meant a lot to Kitty and I, Thad was like a son …" his words caught in his throat and he coughed to cover up the emotion.

There was a thump and bump against the door and Christopher pushed through, balancing two plates each with a large slice of apple pie on it. He set them both on the table in a way that made the pie jump on the plate. He smiled at the judge showing another gap in his teeth, "Miss Kitty's coming with the coffee Judge Brooker." He announced and then left the room for the last two plates.

The judge leaned closer to Matt speaking rapidly he explained, "About the adoption process, it's really very simple, especially in a case like this where the parents made their wishes known for the care of their child after their demise. The papers will be filed, an investigation, which in your case is merely a formality, then a closed hearing and that is it. I can drop the papers off at your office tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good." Matt replied, as the door opened and Christopher returned with Kitty and the coffee pot right behind.

**GS GS GS**

Miss Pry served dainty little cakes she called petite fours to the ladies gathered in her front parlor. The room was neat as the proverbial pin, and had remained unchanged in the twenty-five years the lady had lived in the home. Her father had been a successful Chicago lawyer with a pedigree as long as your arm. Old Money is what he came from and through hard work and intellect he had amassed a tidy fortune. He was in his forty-ninth year when his wife passed. His spinster daughter took over control of the household running it with an efficiency it had never seen before. When she was thirty- five and he in his late fifties, he decided a change was in order for their life. He had feared his daughter would never really experience life and the older man hoped for grandchildren to pass his fortune on to. So they'd sold their fancy Chicago home and headed west on a grand adventure, finally settling in Dodge. Lawyer Pry had become a driving force in Kansas's politics serving first as a territorial Judge and later in the State Senate.

His daughter Edsel, perhaps due to her utter lack of beauty and tendencies to verbally emasculate any male she deemed inferior had never attracted a life mate. She developed strong views and was not easily swayed once an opinion had been formed. While not able to vote herself she was nevertheless active in the politics of the state and had fought her side on such topics as prohibition and woman's suffrage. In Dodge City, she held the position of First Methodist Church treasurer as well as a seat on the Dodge City School Board.

The ladies gathered in her parlor that fall afternoon were making plans for the fourth annual Harvest Festival, held the week of Thanksgiving. The festivities would include a bake sale, various booths selling everything from freshly canned foods to fancy embroidered hankies and a special Parent's Night at the school; the celebration was topped off by the Harvest Ball, which amounted to a square dance at Gimmick's Barn. The proceeds from all went to the school for new books and upkeep.

The committee members drank daintily from their tea in demitasse cups, their pinkies sticking out at right angle from the handle. Occasionally they stirred the brew with tiny sterling spoons decorated in elaborate Victorian patterns with the name "Edsel" engraved on each handle. Sitting on the settee next to her good friend Susan Bart Harris was Martha Osgoode. Across the room trying to get comfortable in the rocking chair sat Bessie Roniger and occupying a lovely Chippendale chair, which was a family heirloom, was Miss Pry. She called the meeting to order, and her first order of business, was to discuss the Marshal's new wife. "Ladies, I had hoped Mrs. Dillon would be able to join our committee this year as well, I think her background in the world of business would certainly add to making this a more profitable affair."

Martha heaved a, "Humpf, I hardly think we need the likes of her telling us what to do."

Susan heartily concurred, "My thoughts exactly Martha, it has always galled me that so many respectable God fearing folks accept her in polite company, We all know what she was and saying `I do' won't wash away her sins."

Bessie began rocking at a furious pace, "That's not fair, Susan, Kitty has done more good for this town than you can possibly imagine … when I think of what she has had to put herself through!"

Susan turned to Mrs. Roniger with an ugly sneer on her cold but attractive features, "I'm sure all I need do is ask half the men in Dodge City, they'd be only to happy to tell me what she's `done' for them."

Bessie stopped rocking and turned to stare at Susan, her normal pleasant personality absent, "She has put her life on the line for this town more than once. Don't tell me you're not aware of that."

"You can say all you want, that doesn't take away from the fact she was a saloon girl, and we know what that made her, and simple proof of what she is, is the fact she's been married two months and is five months pregnant." Martha Osgoode relayed.

Susan shook her head in disgust, "The idea of her becoming a mother and at her age is just appalling and did you hear the latest? They want to ADOPT the Greenwood boy, I can't imagine any judge worth his salt allowing that to happen, but of course Judge Brooker is a personal friend so…"

**GS GS GS**

Judge Brooker looked in the window of the Marshal's office, he had a difficult purpose to this visit and he almost hoped he would find the building empty. However, the lawman had been visible from the window. The Marshal was sitting at a battered table with a half dozen rifles lined up in front of him, along with various tools, rags and grease.

Dillon looked up from his work as the Judge entered the office, "G'morning, can I get you a cup of coffee Judge?"

Having tasted the jail house brand of brew on numerous occasions Brooker declined, "No thanks. Matt, there's been a problem with the adoption, someone has filed an objection with the court."

Dillon stood up, "Who would do that?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, I guess you have a right to know, Susan Bart Harris and Martha Osgoode."

"Why, on what grounds?"

"They are claiming Kitty is unfit to be a mother." The Judge responded.

Matt had long known Susan's dislike of Kitty but it never occurred to him she would act so ruthlessly.

"Unless these women withdraw their objection, I'll be forced to hold an open hearing, although as far as I am concerned these charges are frivolous and not worth the paper they're written on." He handed the documents to Matt. Dillon walked them over to his desk where the sat down to study them. They referred to Kitty's past and her profession, citing moral delinquency in the matter of her current pregnancy. There was mention of the condition she kept her house and the care she had given Christopher, noting she had failed to follow her physician's orders in regard to her current pregnancy and continued to work in the saloon. The charges ended with her threat of violence against Martha Osgoode.

"You know as well as I do that Kitty's been a wonderful mother to Christopher. The boy loves her with all his heart; this is just lies and half truths." Matt shook his head in disbelief, "How could anyone set out to deliberately try to destroy her like this?"

The Judge shifted his feet uncomfortably, and then suggested, "Perhaps if someone went to see Mrs. Harris, they could reason with her, get her to withdraw the complaint, if not, if she has it her way… well things could embarrassing, especially for Mrs. Dillon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten**

Kitty read the charges and then threw the papers on the bed in disgust; she turned to Matt, "What did I ever do to make her hate me so?" She sat down in front of her dressing table and reached a hand back to rub her neck, which had begun to ache.

Dillon moved behind her and took over the task, "I don't think there is anything they can really use against you and neither does Judge Brooker, he knows you, and what kind of mother you've been to Christopher. This is just Susan's way of making things difficult."

"If you had seen Mrs. Osgood swatting Chris with the newspaper you would have done more than threaten her, and I bet a fair number of Dodge City brides in the past year HAD to get married, as for the Long Branch, well, I did work a couple hours the day you and Chris left for Hayes City. They were short staffed, and I still own a percentage of the place, I had to protect my interests, didn't I?"

Dillon's fingers increased the pressure as he felt the tension building in the tight muscles of her shoulders, "Calm down, Kitty, the Judge isn't concerned and neither am I, if Susan insists on this, the only one she will embarrass is herself, after all, we have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of."

**GS GS GS**

By frontier standards, the home was a mansion, built with imported limestone. It boasted three stories; the top floor housing a full sized ballroom. Kitty climbed the thirteen steps to the front door and knocked, from inside she heard Susan's voice, "Come right in Miss Pry, I'll be out in a moment."

She walked inside, "It's not Miss Pry; it's me, Kitty Dillon."

There was silence in response followed by Susan's rapid footsteps, "What are YOU doing here? I'm expecting Edsel Pry."

"I thought we should talk."

"You and I have nothing to talk about."

"Let me say my piece and I'll leave."

"Very well," With her hand she gestured toward a door to the left of the main hallway and Kitty entered followed by Susan. The room was a library its walls lined with volumes of unread books; the dark carpet underfoot was thick but lacked warmth despite its luxury and the furniture looked hard and uninviting.

"I'm here to ask you to drop the charges."

If Susan had been startled to find Kitty Russell in her home, she covered it well, what surprised her more was the transformation of the woman herself. Gone were the heavy makeup and the gaudy clothing. The woman before her had a lovely face dusted only with a light coat of freckles; her auburn hair was pulled back in a loose bun with just a few tendrils escaping to frame her face. Her gown was classic gray wool, draped gracefully over her expanding figure and accented by a delicate lace collar. A cameo brooch, pearl earrings and wedding band were the only items of jewelry she wore. She smelled fresh and clean and her scent hung in the air around her.

"They're not only my charges; Martha Osgoode contributed with observations of her own."

"If you tell her to retract her statement she will." Kitty took a step toward Susan, "Christopher needs me, and I need him, you can't take him away from me, from us, not now."

"Seems to me there was once someone I needed, and you took him away." Susan's voice was bitter.

"I didn't take Matt away from you, he was never yours; don't you know that?"

"I loved him, from the first time I saw him, I loved him." Susan confessed honestly.

"So did I, and the miracle of it was, he loved me back, he knew what I was, what I had to be and still he loved me."

"How could he? You were trash." Her words were hissed at Kitty with lethal venom.

Kitty clenched and unclenched her hands, there was nothing she wanted more at the moment than to wrap her fingers around Susan's neck. Reminding herself Christopher was at stake she forced calm to her voice, "That's the thing about love, it accepts, it encourages it gives you the feeling you can do anything, become anything. Susan, Matt and I have waited all these years to have a home and family, there were so many times I thought it would never happen, but now it has. Christopher is a part of our family. If you force him to be taken from us… please … please reconsider."

The side of Susan's face twitched but otherwise remained hard and fixed, Kitty tried another tactic, "You couldn't have changed this much over the years; the woman I remember would never have set out to deliberately hurt someone."

"What do you remember?" Susan scoffed, "I wonder…"

"I remember you were pretty, spirited and a little spoiled, but you had a good heart or at least I thought you did."

She spun at Kitty, "Then why wasn't I good enough for him, why would he pick YOU over me?

For a moment she felt she was talking to Christopher, "Don't you see? There was never a CHOICE in the matter for us."

"But he knew what you were, surely he knew about the men, how could he be any kind of man and not have cared about that?"

Kitty's eyes narrowed slightly and an almost imperceptible grimace crossed her face, "All I ask is you think this over before you do something you would live to regret." Kitty ended simply.

"Is that a threat MRS. Dillon?"

"No Susan, I guess you could call it a prediction." With that Kitty turned and left the room passing Sterling Harris on her way out.

Sterling studied his wife from the doorway for a moment and then entered the room, "Do you mind explaining to me what the hell is going on, why have you set out to destroy that family after all they've been through?"

"My only concern is for the child." Susan stated coldly.

"No, I don't think so." he examined his wife's frigid countenance, "no, I think your only concern is revenge, Why, I'm not sure, but I do know the welfare of the boy is the farthest thing from your mind. As your husband, I am demanding you retract any statement you have made regarding Mrs. Dillon."

"I'll do no such thing." She declared defiantly. She turned to face him with her chin high and her eyes uncompromising.

Grabbing her shoulders, Sterling Harris gave her a shake, "You are a little fool, why do you insist on destroying their happiness and our own?"

She was startled by his force and by the depth of emotion, and for a fraction of a second she wanted to feel the power of his embrace, but pride wouldn't allow such an admission even to herself and she pulled herself free.

"We can't go on like this." Harris said bitterly, defeat apparent in his voice. "I need my family, I need my children. Listening to you and sending them to boarding school was a mistake. I had thought someday we could all be a family."

"Yes, it appears this has all been a mistake." She straightened her spine, "I'll move back to Moon Bar Ranch today."

"That would be best." He agreed, "The sad thing is, it didn't have to end this way.

**GS GS GS**

Howie the clerk at the Dodge House watched the Dillons climb the stairs hand in hand to Judge Brooker's rooms. He thought to himself that it was a shame they had to worry about this Susan Bart thing, just when they were getting their lives settled.

Answering the door, the judge ushered them into his sitting room and offered them a seat. Kitty told the Judge about her visit with Susan, ending with, "I just don't know what to do; she won't change her mind."

"I can postpone the hearing until after the first of the year – I think if we give Mrs. Harris a little time, she will see the error of her ways." The elderly man smiled at the worried couple in front of him, offering assurance, "A lot of things can happen between now and then, just try not to worry."


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven**

Kitty resolved not to give another thought to Susan Harris, at least not until after the holidays. For the present she was going to concentrate on Thanksgiving, which was less than two weeks away. She was determined to make this a happy time for friends and family.

She pushed Susan to the far recesses of her mind, but some little part of her must have remained some part, which reminded Kitty of years ago. For it was shortly after this that she developed a strong desire for an applesauce cake. She baked the cake as she always did carefully following Bessie Roniger's recipe. She was so eager for a taste that she didn't even wait until it was cooled before sampling it. But, something wasn't right, something was missing and it didn't satisfy the yearning, only intensified it.

When Matt and Chris came home that afternoon they both agreed it was the best applesauce cake they'd ever tasted, but she could only look at it with disgust.

What was the illusive flavor she was hungering for? She racked her brain, and scoured the pantry, tasting this and testing that, but nothing seemed right. She tried to occupy her mind with other things but her thoughts seemed to bounce right back to her craving.

That night she had grouched at Matt for leaving his hat on a chair and scolded Christopher for not finishing his homework, and even sent Puppy from the house for getting underfoot. Dillon and the boy had exchanged glances each knowing this wild woman wasn't at all like the Kitty they were used to.

Finally Matt said, "What is bothering you?"

"Nothing." She replied on an immediate defensive.

He tried again, "Kitty…. What's wrong?"

She softened and then laughed, "Oh you'll think this is silly, it's just that I've had this craving for something and it's all I can think about." She shrugged her shoulder in a helpless admission of defeat to her body's feminine whims.

Matt Dillon, who had long ago admitted defeat in understanding the feminine mind, nevertheless continued the questioning, "What are you hungry for?"

"That's the problem I don't know, something like the applesauce cake, but grittier, and sour, and maybe a little bit bitter…"

Dillon laughed out loud, "You know what you're describing don't you?"

She shook her head and Matt glanced at Christopher who was working on his homework before answering in a whisper. "Piss Apple."

"Oh that's just ridiculous." She said, but then gave it more thought, "do you think so?"

Dillon shrugged his shoulders, "That's what it sounds like to me."

She had only had piss applesauce cake one time, and that had been when she and Bessie had baked it for Matt's birthday all those years ago. There was only one place she knew of that had that very rare species of apple tree and that was the Moon Bar Ranch.

Kitty licked her lips, Matt was right and the need intensified, "Oh Matt, what am I going to do, I just have to have a piss applesauce cake…"

Christopher was still at the kitchen table diligently working on his homework, but keeping abreast of the conversation just the same.

"I don't know Kitty, but I would advise you against asking Susan for piss apples, at least now, just try to think of something else, get your mind off of it." He suggested.

Obviously Dillon had never been a pregnant woman in the throws of a maternity induced craving for the task he asked was impossible. But for his part he made an effort to divert her attention for a short time that evening.

She wore a long white flannel nightgown, just a modest trim of lace at the neckline and sleeves to soften its practicality. Dillon thought wistfully of the old champagne colored negligee that no longer fit around her middle and wondered if or when he would ever see it again. Still with her red hair flowing down her back and her face freshly scrubbed she made an irresistible picture.

The lawman moved up behind her, lifting her russet mane to bestow soft kisses to her neck, he felt a responsive tremor shake her body as she turned into his arms. Their lips met in a gentle kiss that grew with the passion of the moment. "I have a CRAVING that only you will satisfy." He said softly in her ear. His breath stirred sensations to fuel her need. He pulled back to allow room to work free the buttons, the task completed he slipped the gown from her shoulders allowing his lips access to the body.

Later, she lay in his arms, relaxed and satisfied, his soft snores a gentle reassurance of his presence. She was almost asleep when the craving hit again, she tried to think of something else, she turned this way and that and finally she sat up in bed, `it's no use' she thought as she climbed out of bed.

The house was quiet everyone asleep except for Kitty and Puppy, who had emerged from the upstairs bedroom at the sound of someone in the kitchen. She sat at the kitchen table trying to think of what she could add to the applesauce cake recipe to make it taste like Piss Apple; finally a thought came to her.

Matt awoke to a dreadful odor filtering down the hall from the kitchen; he pulled on his pants and hurriedly left the room to be met in the hall by Christopher.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he asked, "What's that smell."

Dillon only raised his eyebrows and shook his head, "'pears the lady of the house is doing some baking."

The two entered the room with some trepidation. Kitty was just taking a fresh cake from the oven and Puppy was furiously rubbing his nose on the kitchen rug, "Kind of early to be up baking isn't it?" Matt asked.

Her face had a bright smile on it, "I think I've got it, I think I've figured out a substitute for the piss apple." She carefully turned the cake over and it slowly slide out from the pan, "Behold!" She declared proudly, "The Pickle-Apple Cake…"

Matt and Chris exchanged a brief look before making a fast exit from the kitchen to the back porch for fresh air.

After a few deep breaths, Chris looked up at Matt and asked, "She doesn't expect us to eat that does she?"

With a worried expression and a shake of his head Matt admitted, "I'm not rightly sure; I've heard women in her delicate condition can act mighty strange."

To their relief breakfast that morning was a perfectly normal affair of pancakes and bacon. Matt crunched a piece of bacon and asked, "So how was your cake?"

She frowned for a second, "not bad," she answered, but not quite the right taste, if I could just figure out some way to get a hold of a few of Susan's apples…"

"Now Kitty, don't even think of going over there, I mean it!" Dillon ordered.

Kitty smiled innocently, "the thought never crossed my mind." She answered.


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve**

**(Dear Reader, if anyone knows where I can obtain a copy of an old story of mine, Just Like Mother's - the piss apple story I'd love to hear from you)**

Matt got up from his desk to stretch, he had been writing reports all morning and he needed a break. He walked to the window and glanced up and down the street and just happened to see Will Roniger walking in the Long Branch. He grabbed his hat and gunbelt and headed to the saloon. Force of habit caused him to stand for a moment at the batwing doors scanning the room for the familiar redhead sashayingbetween tables with a tray in her hand. He chuckled to himself; old habits die hard.

He saw Will Roniger, Festus and Doc at a back table deep in conversation and made his way towards them. "Matt come on over." Doc offered as he neared their table.

Sliding his hat to the back of his head, he grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and sat down.

"Good morning, just the men I wanted to see." Matt said looking from Will to Doc.

"Something on your mind Matt?" Adams asked.

"Well, yeah … it's about this craving Kitty has…"

"That's not so unusual," Doc said.

"What's she craving?" asked Will.

"That's the problem, she wants Piss Applesauce cake, with the only Piss Apples in Ford County at the Bart's ranch, she decided to create her own piss apple and used pickles…"

"Good Grief," Doc exclaimed, "Did she eat it?"

"Some of it." Matt said.

"Let me assure you Matt, this is all perfectly normal, why I've known women to get the urge to eat the strangest things." Doc explained.

"Why fiddle Matthew," Festus offered, "I recollect my Aunt George had a hankering fer the Good Book and she ate half the family Bible 'afore she was satisfied."

Doc looked at Hagen and shook his head like he had a fly buzzing in his ear.

Completely ignoring Festus, Will offered, "Heck yeah, Bessie is always craving something unusual, that woman does keep me on my toes."

Matt chuckled, "Well as long as you say it's normal, anything else I should know?"

Doc started to speak, but Will held up his hand and said, "Now that you ask, I guess I'm kinda an expert in all this… beggin' your pardon Doc… well this is the one important thing I've learned, the one thing that works no matter what… When she complains she's fat, tell her she's beautiful, when she says her back hurts, tell her she's beautiful, and when you catch her crying for no reason at all… tell her she's beautiful. I ain't rightly sure why but it always seems to bring a smile back to Bessie's face."

Adams nodded his head in agreement, "Sounds like sage advise from an expert," Doc winked at Will, "the rest Matt, you'll just have to learn from experience."

**GS GS GS**

Their favorite spot for lunch was at the corner of the playground at the farthest point away from the schoolhouse. The four boys were certain sure of this, because they had measured it one noon hour.

Christopher opened up his lunch bucket and cautiously checked its contents, then breathed an audible sigh of relief as a smile crossed his face. Benny looked up from his sandwich, "What's ya got in there that's makin you so happy?" he asked.

Chris laughed, "It's what I don't have in there that's making me happy!"

"What are you talking about?" Tommy asked.

"Miss Kitty made a cake this morning." Chris explained.

"She makes good cakes," Timmy observed, remembering the applesauce cake Chris had shared from his lunch earlier in the week.

"Na-ahhh, not this one. This one she made with apples and pickles, she has… what was the word she used…" he thought very hard and at last the word popped into his mind, "craving, she has a craving for a special kind of apple."

Timmy laughed, "I bet I know what kind." He leaned way over so no one else on the playground could overhear him say the word, "Piss Apple" he declared knowingly.

"Yeah, that's right!" Chris said somewhat amazed, "How did you know, has your momma got it too?"

Tommy threw up his hands in a gesture of amazement, "Ain't you never heard about the time Momma and Miss Kitty stolt the Piss Apples from Miss Susan Bart so they could make a birthday cake for Marshal Dillon!?"

Chris shook his head and listened intently as the boys explained the tale of the piss apple raid. It was a family favorite that had been told and expanded upon over the years.

When the story was finished Chris said, "Miss Kitty said she gotsta have those piss apples, Marshal said it had to do with her delicate condition."

The three identical Roniger heads bobbed knowingly in agreement, "Yup, Pa says the proper food is very important for a lady hav'in a baby." Timmy explained.

"Why can't someone just go over to Moon Bar and ask for some apples?" Benny wondered.

"Cause mule brain," Tommy explained, "Mrs. Harris hates Miss Kitty, you know that!"

Christopher squinted his eyes and scrunched up his face, "Then, I've gotsta to do it," he stated.

"Do what?" Benny asked.

"I gotsta get Miss Kitty some Piss apples." Chris declared.

"How ya gonna do that?" Timmy questioned.

"Simple, I'll do it just the way your Ma and Miss Kitty did, I'm gonna sneak over there in the middle of the night and steal them."

"Wowie!" Bennie exclaimed.

Three triplets looked at each other and then as if with one mind declared, "Hey Chris, we'll help."

"Yeah, this will be great!" Tommy said, the gears of his brain cranking out a plan, "You ride over to our house and then well head out to Moon Bar Ranch…"

All four boys started talking at once, their imaginations plotting a wonderful scheme that would give Miss Kitty the Piss Apples her delicate condition required.

Miss Burrow noticed the notes being passed by her second grade students, but she made no effort to stop them, figuring that at least they were practicing their reading and writing skills, and besides it was Friday and she was as eager as the children for the day to be over and the weekend to begin.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen**

Christopher did all of his chores that night without having been told to first, he helped set the table and cleared the dishes away after dinner. As soon as the table was cleared he started with his homework, even though it was a Friday night and Monday was a long way off.

Kitty thought his behavior was a little bit curious, but didn't see the need to question a good thing, but when he said goodnight and went to bed without a fuss, she became concerned.

She knocked on his door and entered his room, "Are you feeling alright? Is something bothering you?"

He smiled his most innocent of smiles, "No Miss Kitty; everything is fine, good night." He answered sweetly.

"Don't you want me to listen to your prayers and tuck you in?"

"Alright." He answered and something about his voice made her feel uneasy.

Just as she did every night, Kitty sat on his bed as he folded his hands and recited his bed time prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep…" but his omission of "help me to be a good boy…" further fueled her suspicions. She kissed his cheek, then studied him for a moment longer, "you're sure everything is alright?" she asked one last time.

"Yes'm, goodnight."

She picked up Puppy and placed him at the foot of the bed. "Sweet dreams, Christopher." she said, adding, "I love you." She left the room closing the door then pausing, trying to decide if she should go back in and make him to tell her what was going on. She finally decided the problem would wait until the morning.

She mentioned her concerns to Matt, "Kitty I believe you're becoming an over protective mother. You'll turn him into a sissy."

**GS GS GS**

It was hard to stay awake, but Christopher forced himself to do so. He listened to the reassuring mummer of voices coming from the first floor. He listened to the sound of Marshal making a last trip outside and then locking the doors. He heard the downstairs bedroom door close and the faint voices that followed and then silence. He waited a while longer and then crept ever so quietly to his bedroom door carefully opening it. He stuck his head out to listen and heard Marshal's snores.

Grabbing his boots he tiptoed out of his room and down the stairs in his stocking feet. Puppy not sure what was going on followed the child seemingly making every effort to be as quiet as his youthful master.

Christopher sat down on the kitchen floor and silently pulled on his boots, getting back up he grabbed his jacket and hat. At the door Puppy made an attempt to go out with him, but Chris whispered a firm, "Stay." The dog whimpered, putting his tail between his legs. The soup bone was for Saturday's dinner, but Chris grabbed it from the ice box anyway and gave it to the pup, who happily took it to his rug by the stove.

The little boy left the house and made his way down to the barn hoping he would find Miss Kitty's gentle mare in a stall, but the only horse inside that night was Marshal's buckskin. He knew it would be impossible for him to catch one of the horses fenced in the corral for the night. He would have to settle for Buck. There was no way he could get a saddle on the big animal, and the thought of riding the horse bareback scared him, but he didn't have any other choice. He grabbed the gelding's bridle and after considerable struggle got it on. After opening the stall door, he rolled an empty barrel through the opening, upending it next to the horse. Buck turned his head, twitched his ears and watched as the child climbed atop the barrel and then flung himself on the animal's back.

For all his great size the buckskin had a gentle intelligent nature and seemed to understand the inexperience of his young rider. The two made their way out the barn, down the lane and then off into the starless night.

A similar scenario had been acted out at the Roniger place. The only horse available to the three boys had been Nellie a giant but placid plow horse. The trio was mounted on the mare and was waiting at the front gate for Christopher.

Buck had started down the road at a moderate trot, but it was a bumpy ride for Chris as his little behind was bounced up down and sideways; all the while he clung to the horse's mane in a desperate effort to hang on. With some difficulty he pulled the animal to a stop at the Roniger gate.

Their plan was simple, sneak on the Bart's property, get some apples and sneak out. It was several miles from the Ronigers to the main gate of Moon Bar Ranch; they had traveled less than half the distance when they were met by the sound of thunder rumbling across the prairie accompanied by intermittent flashes of light. To Chris it reminded him of the reflections of distant fireworks he'd watched with his mother on the fourth of July. By the time they were at the gate a steady rain had started. The boys pulled their hats down as far at they would go and huddled in their fast soaking jackets.

"Where do you suppose the piss apples are?" Chris asked as a shiver ran through his body.

The boys tried to remember the story, "I think they was in the front yard." Benny said.

"Na-ahhh, they was behind the house." Tommy said.

"Yeah!" Benny agreed.

"Should we ride the horses over there or walk?" Tommy wondered. "I recollect Momma said she and Miss Kitty tied up their horses and walked."

Chris leaned over and looked at the ground. It seemed a long way down. "If I get off I don't know how I'll get back on." He admitted.

Benny looked down from the lofty height of Nellie's back, "He's right."

So the decision was made to ride the horses down to the pasture.

**GS GS GS**

The sound of Puppy scratching at their bedroom door worked its way out of his dream and into reality. Dillon glanced at Kitty still sleeping; quietly, he got out of bed and opened the door. "What do you want Pup, gotta go out?" He whispered. At the words `go out' the dog started dancing around. "Come on." He said walking down the hall to the kitchen where he opened the back door and let the dog out. Puppy's usual middle of the night routine was to do his business and hurry back in the house, but tonight he ran outside down toward the barn barking furiously.

"Damn dog…" Dillon thought not for the first time. He noted the lighting to the west and the rumblings of an approaching storm, and figured he'd better go get the dog before the rain came.

Willie heard the dog barking down at the bunkhouse and poked his head out the door, he saw Dillon in his long johns running after the little dog. "Everything okay?" he asked.

Matt looked again to the west and the impending storm, "Yeah, but we'd better get those horses in before that storm hits." Willie nodded and ducked back in the bunkhouse to grab his boots. Matt caught up with the dog at the barn door and noticed for the first time the door was ajar. Now his suspicion was aroused and he cautiously looked in the barn and noticed the absence of his horse but the presence of a large barrel in his stall.

"Is Buck out there?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"No sir, I put him in the barn tonight like you asked." Willie replied, while leading the bay and strawberry roan in from the corral. Confusion showed in his face as he said, "Ain't he in there?"

Matt shook his head. "Saddle the bay for me would you Willie?"

Dillon grabbed the dog and ran to the house, while his mind tried to put two and two together. He entered his house and ran up the stairs to Christopher's room and there just as he feared he found the empty bed. Dread grabbed at his heart as he thought of the small boy on the buckskin on a night like this.

Kitty stood at the bedroom door, "What's wrong Matt?" she asked.

A lie came to his lips but he couldn't say it, he had never been able to lie to her, and he couldn't start now. "Chris and the buckskin are missing."

Her hand covered her mouth, she watched wordlessly as he dressed, listening to the thunder as it became louder and watching the lightning as it flashed shards of white thorough the room. He grabbed her by the shoulders before he left the room, "It'll be alright Kitty, I promise."

"Where are you going to look?"

"I don't know, but maybe the Roniger boys do."

All she could do was nod in response. She stood unmoving listening to the sound of the bay's hoof beats as he galloped down the lane. Without undue thought, she made the decision to hitch up the buggy and follow him. She dressed quickly, her hair still in its single braid; throwing on a hooded cloak she left the house. The rain had started by this time. "Willie?" she called from the back porch and he came running up from the barn, "Hitch up my buggy."

The young man refused, "Miss Kitty, I can't let you go out in this rain, I'm sorry ma'am but I can't do it."

Pulling her cape tighter around her, she marched off the porch and down to the barn, "Then I'll do it myself."

Willie Roniger had known Kitty all his life, and he'd learned early on that it was best not to cross her when she had that look on her face. Still he couldn't let her ride out alone not out into a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, not in her condition.

Giving in he said, "I'll hitch up the buggy, Ma'am but I'm going with you."

"Fair enough, but please hurry."

He had the mare hitched to the buggy in record time, and helped her in to the carriage, "Where to Miss Kitty?"

"Your place." She directed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen**

Matt stood on the Roniger porch banging on the door; he heard footsteps from inside and the sound of the shotgun being taken form its place on the wall.

"Who's out there?" questioned Roniger's voice from behind the door.

"Matt Dillon."

The door opened and Will stepped aside for Matt to enter, "What in tarnation are you doing out on a night like this?"

"Looking for Chris, my horse is gone and so is the boy."

Bessie had pulled on her robe and stood listening. "Good Lord!" she exclaimed, and then hurried to the triplet's room, "Oh good Lord!" she exclaimed again this time louder. "Will, our boys are gone too!" She hurried to the front room to her husband's side, "Oh my heavens! Will, where could they be?"

"Now Mother, boys will be boys, I'm sure they're fine." Will soothed, but the Marshal didn't miss the concern on his face.

"Did they say anything, anything at all that might give us some idea where they went?"

Will shook his head, then looked at Bessie who recalled, "They did ask me about the Piss Apple story, but they would have no reason to go there," she saw the look on both Matt and Will's faces, "or would  
they?"

"That's it!" Dillon declared, "Chris went to Susan's to get Kitty some Piss Apples."

Bessie frowned this wasn't making any sense, "Why would she want Piss Apples?"

"She's had a craving for them." Matt explained hurriedly.

Just then a loud boom of thunder shook the house, "Oh Will, please go find them." Bessie cried.

"You get dressed Will, I'll saddle a horse for you." Matt said.

**GS GS GS**

The lighting sent flashes through the old kitchen of Moon Bar Ranch as the rain pounded against the tin roofed back porch; sitting at the kitchen table, Susan Bart Harris drank her cup of warm milk. The benign liquid failed to warm her chilled spirit. Her thoughts kept drifting back to that last meeting with Sterling. Was he right, had she thrown away her last chance at happiness for the sake of petty revenge? Miss Pry had told her that his children were due back in Dodge by the end of the week. She tried to imagine his home filled with the laughter and chaos they would ultimately bring. She had worked so hard to bring a calm civility and order to his life and all that would be gone. She rubbed her sleepless eyes and was surprised to feel tears sliding down her cheeks.

A basket on her counter held the fruit of her orchard. One apple caught her eye and she reached over and picked it up to study it closer, there was no doubt it was a beautiful specimen. The apples were huge this year and the color had never been truer. She took a bite hoping for once the apples tasted as good as they looked. But it didn't and Susan spit out the mouthful. A vague sense that once she resembled the fruit crossed her mind, pretty to look at but good for nothing. She pushed the thought out of her mind.

**GS GS GS**

Kitty and Willie arrived at the Roniger place shortly after Matt and Will had left. They found Bessie dressed and pacing the floors, "Oh Kitty" she declared, "They've gone to Susan's to get Piss Apples."

"Damn," Kitty swore, then turning to Willie, "Come on let's go."

"Kitty you can't go out in this weather." Bessie cried, grabbing her arm.

"I've got to."

"Well, then I'm coming too." Bessie declared.

"No Ma," Willie said, but as he looked from one pregnant woman to the other he knew he was stuck, he shook his head and offered with humorless wit, "Ladies, your carriage awaits."

**GS GS GS**

The boys rode their large horses toward the back pasture with the lightning flashing and thunder rumbling the earth beneath them. The animals were becoming more and more skittish and harder to control.

"There's the trees!" Timmy announced pointing toward the orchard that lined the open area behind the house.

"Come on, let's get 'them apples and head for home." Tommy yelled in an effort to be heard over the storm.

**GS GS GS**

Bolts of lightning were slicing through the air so close it made Susan's hair stand on end. She moved from the table to look out the back window. The lighting and thunder were happening simultaneously now. Incredible booms echoed from across the back pasture. All at once the whole house lit up and the earth and air around exploded with unbelievable noise. The impact shook the house and Susan knew instantly that something had been hit.

Despite the driving rain she walked out on the back porch pulling her robe closer around her, looking towards the orchard. The lighting flashed again and she saw one of the old apple trees was down, another streak of lightning lit the sky and she could make out the figures outlined briefly before it was complete darkness again. She waited for another burst of light, certain sure her eyes were playing tricks on her. The next flash illuminated the horse. Her effort to see the animal was so intense that she didn't notice the small figure running to the house. She was shocked when she heard the voice of a frantic child.

"Mrs Harris, Mrs. Harris, ya gotta help… Mrs. Harris..." The child was breathless now, but he kept running until he was on the porch in front of her.

She recognized him as one of the Roniger boys, "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"It's Chris, the tree fell on him, we can't get him out; please ya gotta come, ya gotta come…please…"


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen**

The lighting flashed again, "Oh my God," she cried. She grabbed the barn boots sitting by the back door and pulled them on, then ran out into the storm following after Benny Roniger.

The apple tree was the oldest in the grove, and it had been split in half by the strike. Buried under its limbs, Susan could make out a child's hat and arm. She knelt down, and shouted, "Chris do you hear me?"

In the driving rain, the response was weak and she leaned closer to hear, "I can't move, please get this off me, please." The three boys tugged at the branches but their efforts only caused the limb to shift again, forcing more of its weight to fall on the child. Susan glanced at the horses noticing their bare backs.

"We need a rope," she thought out loud. She turned to Timmy, "Run up to the house, there's one hanging by the back door," The lighting flashed again, perilously close, she had to get the children out of the field, they were all targets for the deadly bolts.

Long seconds passed as they waited for the boy to return with the rope. Susan tried to reassure the lad who had stopped struggling and now lay motionless under the weight of the limb.

"I got it, I got it." Timmy shouted as he ran from the house the grass was slick with rain and he slipped halfway there, falling to the ground, but he picked himself up and ran the rest of the way to Susan. She took the rope and tied an end around the buckskin's neck and the other end she attached to the tree branch. She shouted  
directions to the children "Okay boys when the tree moves pull Chris out, you'll have to work fast, but try not to hurt him, do you understand?"

Three Roniger heads nodded, Susan took hold of the bridle and urged the horse forward, ever so slightly at first the tree began to move. The boys grabbed Christopher by the shoulders and pulled him out as the lighting and thunder continued to flash and sound, finally the child was pulled free.

She untied the horse and hurried back to the injured child. He grimaced with pain but managed to sit up with her help. Turning to the Roniger boys she ordered, "Run up to the house get under cover…" To Chris she asked, "Can you get up?"

He nodded, but couldn't, so she scooped him up in her arms and dashed through the storm, the child was not a heavy load but his rain soaked clothing made him awkward to carry. One of the Roniger boys held the door open for her as she ran in with the child. She deposited him on the settee, which occupied a wall in the large kitchen, and the three boys crowded around her all asking questions at once.

"Is he okay?"

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Is he dead?"

"Course not mule brain, see he's moving."

Susan's limited patience where children were concerned was nearly exhausted. "Sit down children," she ordered pointing to the kitchen table chairs.

"But…" sputtered the boys

"Sit!" Susan said again, "just do as I asked immediately." She looked back at the boy on the settee his teeth chattered as shivers shook his body. She grabbed the old woolen blanket that lay folded on one end and covered him. Then she glanced back at the Ronigers who were obediently sitting in the chairs, scared speechless. She left the room briefly and returned with three more blankets one for each of them. Soon the smell of wet wool filled the room. She emptied the contents of the milk pitcher into the pan on the stove and added a few fresh logs to the fire.

Presently, the milk was warm and she filled four cups and handed one to each of the boys. Only after they had consumed a portion of the contents did she ask the question.

"What were you boys doing on my property?"

"We was getting Piss apples."

"Miss Kitty had a craving for Piss Apples."

"Miss Kitty NEEDED Piss Apples."

Once more they all spoke at once. Susan raised a hand to silence them: then turned to the smallest of the apple thieves. "Master Christopher, do you feel up to explaining, since this seems to have to do with your Miss Kitty?"

Christopher hurt all over, from his bottom battered by the bumpy ride on Buck to his tree banged head, and everywhere in between. He knew this whole disaster of an evening had been one big mistake and now that guilt hung heavy on his conscience.

The boy bit his lip as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "Miss Kitty wanted some Piss apples." He began.

"She told you to come get them?" .

"Not exactly…" Christopher hedged.

"Then what… EXACTLY? Young man… I want the whole story; you have some explaining to do."

"Yes he does!" boomed the Marshal's voice from the kitchen doorway. Matt Dillon followed by Will Roniger stepped into the room. The boys jumped off their chairs and started to run toward Will, but the single command of "Sit!" by their Pa seemed to work as an adhesive which pulled them back to their chairs.

Dillon walked over to the settee and knelt on one knee to examine Christopher. His relief was apparent as he determined the boy was bruised and scraped but otherwise appeared unharmed. Matt looked into the  
face of the child, his fear and anger under control, "you owe Mrs. Harris an explanation son, along with Mr. Roniger and myself."

Chris swallowed hard and then began, "Well you see, Miss Kitty had this craving for these apples that you have Mrs. Harris…"

The kitchen door flew open again and in ran Kitty followed by Bessie who hurried to the triplets pulling the  
threesome tightly to her breast."

Kitty rushed to the settee, "Oh Christopher," she cried as she grabbed him to her in a fierce and protective hug, he was buried up to his eyeballs in her embrace, looking up to Dillon he lifted his eyebrows in a silent apology.

The lawman felt his control of the situation beginning to slip. He moved to his wife and placed a firm hand to her shoulder, "and what are you doing here Miss Kitty? He shook his head at both of them and Kitty had the sinking feeling she was in as much trouble as Chris.

The Marshal's scowl deepened, "I have a few words to say to our boy."

Something about the way he said `boy' sent a shiver of apprehensive through Christopher. Dillon sat next to Kitty and pulled the child to his lap, setting him down hard. "What you did tonight was wrong. You took my horse, what if I would have needed him tonight? You went off in the dark without asking permission, which you KNEW we would never give. You endangered yourself, the Roniger boys, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Roniger and your mother…I mean Miss Kitty; you trespassed on private property and attempted to take something that doesn't belong to you. What do you have to say for yourself?"

He hung his head in shame, and said in a small voice, "I'm sorry, I didn't think…"

"No you didn't think."

With wide eyes open and fighting fear, Chris asked, "Are you going to see that `justice' is done?"

"We'll talk about how best to serve Justice tomorrow, when I've cooled off some. Let's just get you home tonight."

Everyone seemed to get up and head for the door at once and in a matter of minutes the room was cleared out. Susan listened as their voices traveled off the porch and into the night. She was suddenly alone again with only memories for companionship.

She was clearing away the empty cups the boys had had their warm milk in when there was a rap at her door. The knock startled Susan and she almost dropped the mugs to the floor. She went to the door to find Kitty Dillon.

"Susan, I just wanted to say thank you."

Susan Bart Harris nodded.

The two women studied one another for a moment, each seeing in the other something they hadn't noticed before. Something akin to respect was born that night, although neither woman would be inclined to admit it.

"I'm sorry for all the bother." Kitty continued. Still Susan remained silent. Kitty turned to leave, but Susan called  
her back, "Just a minute…"

Kitty stopped, "I think you forgot something," Susan said, and with just the faintest of smiles she handed Kitty the small basket full of piss apples.


End file.
